Japanese mask wearing is a bit different to other parts of the world. They've been doing it for years and only because it was more convenient than using scarves. A lot of Japanese people take public transportation which results in them being packed into trains like sardines and the Japanese work ethic means that taking a day off isn't something that really happens. So, it's really just to avoid hocking a loogie on the back of someone's head. There's also hay fever being much more common in Japan and the culture of politeness means you don't want to sneeze on someone.
There's also a cultural taboo regarding snot. There's a Japanese term for it that translates as "nose shit." Being caught with an uncovered runny nose would be really embarrassing for a Japanese person.
Japanese mask wearing is a bit different to other parts of the world. They've been doing it for years and only because it was more convenient than using scarves. A lot of Japanese people take public transportation which results in them being packed into trains like sardines and the Japanese work ethic means that taking a day off isn't something that really happens. So, it's really just to avoid hocking a loogie on the back of someone's head. There's also hay fever being much more common in Japan and the culture of politeness means you don't want to sneeze on someone.
There's also a cultural taboo regarding snot. There's a Japanese term for it that translates as "nose shit." Being caught with an uncovered runny nose would be really embarrassing for a Japanese person.